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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did the main character in Poem Three react when she found out that her favorite musician was not going to be playing?

2. Which character relays the main narrative in Poem Four?

3. What is the story in Poem Seven about?

4. Where is the lady in brown from?

5. What is the race of the characters in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is dance used in Poem Two?

2. What do the two songs at the end of Poem One represent?

3. Why does the lady in green call on white women and other men in Poem Seventeen?

4. Describe the language and imagery in Poem Four.

5. Describe Poem Three.

6. What reason do the characters give for dancing?

7. Describe Poem Nine.

8. Why does the lady in brown open and close the play?

9. How is dance used in Poem Four?

10. How does the language change at the end of Poem Nineteen? At what point at the end of the play does the language change?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Poem nineteen, "A Nite with Beau Wille Brown," is a longer narrative than many of the other poems in the play. Why do you think Shange chose to make this poem a longer narrative than the others in the play? How else does this poem differ from the others in the play? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

How does the author portray African American culture in the play? What is significant about her portrayal? Please use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The play describes urban African American life. Why do the women in the play not live in the cities, but "outside" of the cities? How does this relate to the theme of freedom? Please use specific examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

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